Estes Valley Library's "Astounding Stories" series continues next week with the true story of Benjamin Kilham, a naturalist and wildlife biologist who was called up on to raise two orphaned bear cubs. For Kilham, this would be a life-changing experience, as he faced this challenge with many of his own theories ready to be put to the test: he would simulate the cubs' natural habits and environment — hoping these bears could and would someday make a full return to the wild.

The live dramatic reading titled "Raising Orphan Bear Cubs in the Wild" will take place on Friday, March 22 at 12:15 p.m. at the library. Librarian and performer Kurtis Kelly will serve as the reader for this event. Friday's reading will fit in a 45-minute format, suitable for those attending over a lunch break.

Kilham's rehabilitation efforts with the cubs would span more than a year: "without a hint of what was to come, began a fifteen-month adventure that would teach me more about black bears, and about myself, than I could ever have imagined. For the next seven seasons — two springs, two summers, two falls, and a winter — I would live with the cubs, visiting and nurturing them nearly every day of their lives except during the denning period. I would walk with them unrestrained through miles of New Hampshire woodlands and spend more than two thousand hours at the task, observing and caring for them as they were growing up. In essence, I would become a mother bear."

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Since his efforts, Kilham's experience has shed light on unknown facets of bears, radically revising our understanding of bear behavior.

Brown bag lunches are welcome and attendees are also invited to bring needlework to enjoy while they listen.

This month's bear-themed series will conclude with a special Saturday session titled "Enos Mills on Bears", featuring excerpts from several of Mills' classic essays on black bears and grizzlies, on March 30 at the special time of 2 p.m.

All events are free and held at the library. For more information, call (970) 586-8116 or visit estesvalleylibrary.org

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